Chapter 1594: Harvest (I)
Chapter 1594: Harvest (I)
The treasures before them glittered so brilliantly that they dazzled the eye. Their radiance bathed the entirety of Zhijing Mountain in shifting colors.
Li Ximing held his breath, stepped forward, and carefully examined the purple-gold thunder profound mace before exclaiming, "Oh!"
Just as he was about to pick it up, his eyes were irresistibly drawn to the Radiant Fire spirit treasure. It was perfectly round, like a Golden Core, and wrapped in swirling golden threads. Countless radiant hues of fire flowed across its surface, accompanied by True Fire itself. The sight was so mesmerizing that he could not look away.
He exclaimed once again, "Excellent!"
His gaze remained fixed on the treasure, yet his hands continued moving on instinct.
Reaching swiftly to his waist, he took out a jade box and pressed it into Li Zhouwei's hand. "Take the pill first!"
Li Zhouwei had actually already taken a [True Profound Heart-Cleansing Pill] inside the grotto heaven. However, the one Li Ximing had just produced was a [Valley Water] pill, which was even better suited to his condition.
He nodded, swallowed it casually, and said with a smile, "I obtained eight spirit incenses, five spirit items, three spirit artifacts of exceptionally high quality, one Radiant Fire spirit treasure, a cultivation treatise, a spirit embryo I seized along the way, two Purple Mansion Realm cultivation arts, and five spirit materials... As for the miscellaneous odds and ends, ancient dharma artifacts are too numerous to count.
"My haul was simply too valuable. I was worried someone might be waiting outside to ambush me, and I happened to discover another exit within the grotto heaven, so I left early. Otherwise, with the phenomenon only just appearing, I wouldn't have reached the lake this quickly."
Li Ximing could only stare in astonishment. "That's enough wealth to serve as the foundation of an entire sect! Just how many people did you rob?"
Li Zhouwei merely laughed. "Granduncle, you have no idea how prosperous Wanlin Heaven is... Immortal palaces filled the grotto heaven, with spirit artifacts displayed everywhere and luxury at every turn. Treasures that are rarely seen in the outside world are used merely as decorations within those palaces. It even surpasses the Anhuai Heaven of old. Everyone who entered came away richly rewarded!"
Li Ximing clicked his tongue inwardly and shook his head as he said, "After all, it was the Wanlin Upper Sect. How could an ordinary Dao lineage compare? Still, spirit treasures are exceedingly rare. I imagine obtaining them wasn't easy!"
Li Zhouwei's expression turned serious and he replied, "That part was somewhat unusual. I offended quite a few groups, though none of them were particularly important. I only robbed the Northern Barbarian clans, devil cultivators from the south, and some Mahas and Merciful Ones... Once you've accumulated enough enemies, a few more hardly matter.
"Most cultivators were focused on seizing treasures and had little interest in wasting time fighting. The only exception was Shilou Yingge. We fought rather fiercely, and these injuries of mine are largely thanks to him."
He shook his head. Despite the subject, his golden eyes remained largely calm. "He got exactly what he wanted. He's not having an easy time now either."
Li Ximing exclaimed, "Shilou Yingge!"
Li Ximing knew that the man was a mid-stage Purple Mansion Realm cultivator and had personally experienced the pressure he brought. It was no wonder he had caused Li Zhouwei so much trouble.
Li Ximing muttered, "So it all comes back to old grudges..."
Li Zhouwei merely chuckled and changed the subject. "Granduncle, let me show you a treasure first!"
With a hint of mystery, he raised a hand and lightly hooked a finger beneath the table. A jade box immediately sprang into view.
The box was covered in intricate patterns that shimmered with light. It looked far from ordinary. Li Ximing recognized it at once. It was the jade box Li Tongya had obtained years ago from the island at the heart of the lake. Though the box itself was not especially valuable, when it came to storing spirit items, nothing they had acquired over the years could compare to it!
It had originally been used to store Supreme Yin Moonlight and moon branches. Later, after the Realm of Sun and Moon Radiance was opened, all those treasures had been moved into the realm itself, where they could be preserved without the slightest loss. As a result, the jade box had lain empty.
His curiosity was immediately piqued. "What kind of treasure requires a container like this?"
The lid flipped open, revealing a blazing white flame burning fiercely within!
The flame was dazzlingly white, and brilliant enough to hurt the eyes. Around that pure white core drifted layers of pale gray fire so faint they were nearly invisible. The moment the box opened, those flames surged outward, and a fierce, baleful heat enveloped the area.
Li Ximing's heart trembled as he said, "A Purple Mansion Realm spiritual flame!"
His experience in such matters ran deep. After a single glance, he cried out in shock, "A Merging Fire connected to the Supreme Yang!"
Li Zhouwei had expected exactly this reaction and smiled. "Spirit items that rarely seen in the outside world are plentiful inside a grotto heaven!"
At that moment, Li Ximing could hardly hear a word. He hurriedly extended two fingers and brushed them lightly across the jade box. In an instant, he refined the flame and brought it under his control!
Buzz!
The blazing white fire leaped into his palm and danced joyfully. Li Ximing closed his eyes slightly, unable to hide his excitement as he said, "What a magnificent spiritual flame!"
Li Zhouwei smiled and asked, "Do you recognize it, granduncle?"
The question struck exactly where his interests lay. Li Ximing let out a chuckle and replied, "I actually know a little about it! Years ago, I listened to Daoist Master Yuandao expound upon the Dao. He spoke of a flame known as the [Desire-Origin Merging Fire]. I gained some insights from it and later spent considerable effort researching and collecting information on related flames, comparing them in secret..."
"The Grand Daoist Master once mentioned that the Bin Crow, through resonance with the Three Yangs, gave rise to three distinct flames. The one aligned with Bright Yang was the essence of desire-fire beyond ordinary desire and ranked second among them. The one aligned with Supreme Yang ranked first and was known as the [Supreme Yang Merging Fire]. It is said to possess immeasurable power. The Bin Crow once bestowed it upon a descendant known as the [Yangstar Great Sparrow]. The descendants of the [Yangstar Great Sparrow] call themselves Heavenly Crows, and the flame they wield is precisely this [Heavenly Crow Merging Fire] before us!"
Disbelief still filled his eyes as he continued, "I don't know everything about it, but this is unquestionably one of the foremost flames among all Merging Fires! Since you don't cultivate fire arts, you don't realize just how extraordinary it is... If a Purple Mansion Realm cultivator who cultivates Merging Fire obtained this flame, it would be more than enough to earn them a fearsome reputation throughout the Purple Mansion Realm!
"In all my years, this is the most precious spiritual flame I've ever seen! Even the [Little Peacock Karma] from back then falls short of it!"
"Oh?" Li Zhouwei had not expected the flame to be so extraordinary. His thoughts stirred as he reflected on it. "That makes sense. I remember a screen inside the [Palace of Sacred Offerings] that depicted a Bin Crow. Its beak was pointed toward the sun, with three circular emblems arranged before it. It was probably referencing this very legend."
Li Ximing was overjoyed. He carefully put the flame away and said with a grin, "Although the Supreme Yang aspect tempers it considerably, this flame still retains the yin characteristics of a Merging Fire. It can burn a cultivator's dharma body and erode their mana. Once attached, it lingers in the bones like a disease and is incredibly difficult to remove. It can even resonate with the sun itself to strike down enemies with overwhelming force...
"Its power is undeniable, but the mana consumption is equally tremendous, and its strength is difficult to control. The latter isn't much of a problem... The real issue is how exceedingly rare it is. I should consult a few seniors about it!"
Naturally, when Li Ximing said it was 'not much of a problem,' he was referring to the family's [Valley Wind Leading Fire]. Delighted, he accepted the flame without hesitation. Li Zhouwei then continued laying out the rest of his treasures. One of the remaining spirit items was a vessel of [Upper Rite] that was intrinsically linked to the [Profound Origin Essence-Heart Technique]. It clearly could not be separated from the clan and would remain there.
Next came a particularly eye-catching jade ring. Its smoky luster rippled with light, tinged with a rich rouge hue. Formed from the fusion of [Supreme Virtue Profound Jade] and [Cascading Profound White Jade], it counted as a Purple Mansion spirit item in its own right and was extraordinarily valuable.
Li Zhouwei said, "Granduncle, this item is remarkable. You should take it and ask Daoist Master Zhusheng of the southern border about it."